January 23, 2012

Up in '12: Albums to live for

Let's get this out of the way: Madonna has everyone on tenterhooks. Early indications are pretty vexing, but the presence of writer Jean Baptiste (he did a lot of the last Kelis album) and William Orbit are reassuring.

Lianne Havas will release her debut. I don't really have high hopes for her or Michael Kiwanuka being anything other than lovely'n'dull.

The ubiquitous hype that is Lana Del Rey? She may pull it off!

Ladyhawke's album Anxiety is outin March

Spring is the release period for the debut album by Bright Light Bright Light - it's called How To Make A Heart.

Fibes, O Fibes release Album on April 11.

Gabrielle has been in the studio for a long while now and may release her new album.

I am not holding my breath for Maxwell's new record, but he has been working on it for most of 2011 (when it was supposedly done well before that). We do know the title: Summers.

Scissor Sisters. Don't like the first single, but I expect the album will kick it.

Yasmin will release her debut album, I hope, which should includes her collaboration with Starsmith. Her label is spinning too slowly on this one.

Sammy Sparro releases Return To Paradise this spring.I am still obsessed with Black And Gold four years after the fact.

Robbie Williams is supposed to release a new record this year. He's like a grandpa now, isn't he? I hope it has his usual witty lyrics and no military sounding songs.

This year's REM mantle - an album that will not be as good as the hopes for it - is taken by Sinead O'Connor, who is a madcap mess in the press right now. How to take this former rock goddess seriously?

Autoheart - who used to be The Gadsdens - long awaited debut, which may or may not be called Agoraphobia, is out this year. First single is the stunning Control.produced by Danton Supple

English folkie Richard Walters should have a new album out this year. Preview EP Young Trees is excellent.

I PRAY for the return of the superior Knowles sister, Solange. She's been recording for ages.

After a quiet few years, there's been a buzz of activity at Xenomania HQ in Kent. They will blaze trails in 2012:

The Gossip return with a Xeno produced album. I heard one track at Xeno HQ in late November and it was blazing. This should be great.

Alex Gardner is closing is on completion of his year-late debut album. He's recorded everywhere from Stankonia (Atlanta ) to Kent.

Florrie - my favorite of 2011 - returns with several new singles this year (including a few tracks we've heard before that have been "reswizzed" for further grandeur). And the EP cover image is high fashion haute.

Finally, will Xeno give us new Girls Aloud tracks? I think it is dead certain (no confirmation though).

Sky Ferriera may release a debut this year. but not the scrapped pop record she intended for 2011.

Whatever, we have an album by the lovely Sia to look forward to.

While The Gossip may have run from Mark Ronson, Rufus Wainwright embraced him for his new album called From the Scan Nordic track, we have a debut from Beatrice Eli and most likely something new from Robyn.Will Janet Jack son return? I doubt it. Original Sugabbses are retuning. Thank God.

90's female icons are back:

Garbage releases a new disc this year. Expect it to be true to form while no one knows what to expect form the new No Doubt album two years in the making and their first in TEN years.

Wouldn't it be great if Brandy nailed it on her new disc? Don't hold your breath. And En Vogue have been promising a new album, but seem to have no label.

Noughties lovelies Turin Brakes are now a foursome and should have new music in '12.They are on the road now. Not dead!

Keane should have their 4th full-length LP out by summertime. This will be make or break for those boys. Killers are also due out this summer or fall.

Bertine Zetlitz releases a new album - single called Electric Feet - this spring. It's been years.

Alison Moyet has recorded an album with producer Guy Sigsworth - that sounds mega. No date for it yet.

There are rumours - heh heh! - of a new Fleetwood Mac disc, but I find it hard to believe.Where are they? Anneli Drecker and my friend Lucas Mire. Dunno. (1/25 update on Lucas: he is finishing his album now).

Finally, at the end of the year we get a new Pet Shop Boys album too.

Let us all live that long, please. Prosper! And follow me on twitterto see my reactions as this music appears in our ears...

3 comments:

I love this list! Thanks a lot! Now I'm really excited about what the Gossip with Xenomania and Rufus Wainwright with Mark Ronson could sound like. Even Pet Shop Boys are taking a chance with a relatively unknown hiphop producer. Brilliant!

I saw Keane were done recording. God I hope it's better than that EP a couple years ago. No Doubt may not have had a record in a decade, but Gwen Stefani sure did. Has Robyn taken her place?

I have heard the Sinead O'Connor, and it is actually rather good, keeping to her general ethos. I wouldn't say it is her best--that still goes to the first two--but it's a sight better than her last record or some of the Irish material of late (the reggae record was actually pretty good though). It's really a shame she had to go get twitter-happy right before it's release. Still, I don't know if that's as uncomfortable as Seal releasing a Soul 2 album in the US the week he and Heidi Klum announce their divorce. It features the Al Green classic, "Let's Stay Together".